1. Field of the Invention
Methods and apparatuses consistent with the present invention relate to providing a service and performing communication, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for providing an interactive service in a broadcasting receiving apparatus, and a method and apparatus for performing communication.
2. Description of the Related Art
Since a cable broadcasting service provides an interactive function, high transmission speed, and large-capacity transmission, it is possible to provide a high quality interactive service. In addition, cable broadcasting services are expected to become the most suitable media for broadcasting communication fusion services.
In order to enable a digital cable broadcasting service to be interactive, a set-top box (STB) that is a control box for receiving a broadcasting service and embodying various additional functions is necessary.
Since an STB is used to receive a digital broadcasting service with high image quality and high sound quality and provide an interactive service, the STB is an important element of the broadcasting service.
The main function of an STB is to receive broadcasting data from a broadcasting data provider. Recently, STBs have been developed to have various additional functions such as a communication function, a personal video recorder (PVR) function, an electronic program guide (EPG) function, and the like.
The OpenCable standard employed as a domestic digital broadcasting standard is largely divided into hardware and software parts.
First, the hardware part is constructed with an STB and a point of deployment (POP) device obtained by separating a security function and a conditional receiving function from the STB. The software part is the OpenCable Application Platform (OCAP) standard that is middleware.
The OCAP standard provides a basis for generating an application for providing an interactive service in digital cable broadcasting services. In the OCAP, it is possible to support a developed interactive service by providing a web-based service for the digital cable broadcasting service. In a method of providing an interactive service using the OpenCable standard, application software and contents are shared by using a common middleware platform, that is, the OCAP.
On the other hand, as technology has developed, a family home may include a plurality of televisions (TVs). Conventionally, only a TV which is connected to an STB can receive a digital broadcasting service. Additional STBs have to be provided so that each of the plurality of TVs receive the digital broadcasting service. In order to solve this problem, the High Definition Audio-Video Network Alliance (HANA) design guideline has been suggested so as to integrally control devices and share high definition (HD) contents by connecting a DTV to peripherals through an IEEE 1394 cable. In the HANA design guideline, a web browser and a decoder are installed in the DTV, and a web server and a control page are installed in the peripherals.
In the aforementioned HANA design guideline, digital broadcasting signals and HD contents stored in the peripherals are decoded by the DTV, and the peripherals are integrally controlled in a graphical user interface (GUI) form by using the web browser of the DTV.
In the HANA design guideline, it is possible to control all the devices connected to an IEEE 1394 network by using a universal remote control.
HANA-compliant products include an HANA DTV, a TV node, an A/V HDD, an HANA expandable home theater (XHT) STB cable network interface unit (NIU), and the like. The NIU performs the function of the STB. The NIU executes an EPG function, a pay per view (PPV) function, a video on demand (VOD) function, and a shopping program function, in response to a request of a user, or processes transmission and reception of data. The NIU provides the execution result to the DTV in a hypertext markup language (HTML) format.
However, it is impossible for the DTV connected to the HANA solution to provide the interactive service by directly executing an application. In a case where the OCAP middleware is installed in an STB that is connected to an HANA device through the IEEE 1394 standard by using the OpenCable technique, a predetermined application that operates on MHP middleware or OCAP middleware is not provided in the HTML format.
Finally, the NIU directly executes the application and transmits the execution result to the DTV in the HTML format. Accordingly, the DTV may provide the interactive service. In this case, a command of the user has to be firstly transmitted to the NIU so that a service is provided to the user after the user requests the service to be provided. Since the DTV and the NIU are connected through a network, it takes time to transmit data. Specifically, since the NIU has to execute the application according to the command of the user and transmit the execution result to the DTV, there is a time difference between a time when the user requests the service to be provided and a time when the service is actually provided to the user.
In order to solve this problem, the OCAP middleware may be extended or modified, and re-installed in the DTV. However, if the OCAP middleware is modified or extended, a license used for a case where the OCAP is applied is too expensive, or it is too expensive to customize the OCAP middleware.